Rail anchor



Jan. 25, 1938.

F. w. COOPER ,548

RAIL ANCHOR Filed Oct. 25, 1930 Sheets-Slieec 1 v Jan. 25, 1938. P R 2,106,548

RAIL, ANCHOR Filed Oct. 25, 1930 2 Shgets-Sheet 2 ill Patented Jan. 25 1938 UNITED STATES RAIL ANCHOR Francis W. Cooper, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, assignor to The Stead Rail Anchor Company, Limited, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, a corporation of Canada Application October 23, 1930, Serial No. 490,635

25 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in rail anchors of the general type shown in U. S. Patent No. 1,366,558, granted the 25th January 1921, to Cooper and Steadworthy, which anchors comprise, broadly speaking, a U-shaped rail gripping member having the arms thereof notched to embrace one flange of a rail base, the web connecting the arms of said member providing a seat beneath the rail, and a spring retaining member including a hook at one end to engage the edge of the other rail base flange and a wedge shaped loop adapted to be compressed between the gripping member seat and the bottom of the rail base flange carrying the gripping member.

The primary object of the invention is to provide in anchors of the aforesaid general type a novel relation of the retaining member to the gripping member and to the rail thereby to facilitate application of the anchor to a rail; to effect a novel and advantageaus distribution of stresses in the retaining member; to produce a novel and advantageous rail gripping action in the retaining member; and to enable the anchor parts to be assembled in the factory into a unitary structure in which the parts are arranged, relatively to one another, in positions of readiness for application to a rail, the said unitary structure being highly resistant to dismemberment and permanent alteration of the relation of its parts by the forces ordinarily encountered in handling, transporting and distributing devices of this character. A further object is to provide a novel form of rail gripping member which will be stronger than the form disclosed in the aforesaid patent and less liable to disturbance, displacement or damage in service. Various other objects and the advantages of the invention may be ascertained from the following disclosure.

The anchor comprises a substantially rigid rail gripping member adapted to engage one flange of a rail base and a resilient retaining member adapted to engage the gripping member and the other flange of the rail base. In one aspect of the invention the rail gripping member is U- shaped or channel shaped and comprises a pair of spaced arms each notched in one edge to embrace one flange of a rail base and a web connecting the notched edges of the arms, the web being formed with an aperture extending above and below the arm notches for reception of the rail base flange and the retaining member. The retaining member is preferably formed of a flat bar of spring metal, of a width to pass between the arms of the gripping member, bent upon itself toward one end to .form shortand long arms defining a large open loop at one end of the member adapted to be held in compression by engagement in the aperture of the gripping member web and to receive that flange of a rail base carrying the gripping member. The long arm of the retaining member is adapted to extend beneath a rail transversely thereof and is formed at the end opposite the loop with a hook adapted to engage the other rail base flange. The short arm of the retaining member is designed to bear with upward pressure on the gripping member web above the aperture and to bear with downward pressure on the upper surface of the rail base flange engaged by the gripping member. The

long arm of the retaining member is designed to,

bear with downward pressure on the gripping member web below the aperture and with upward pressure upon the lower surface of the other rail base flange. In one embodiment of the invention, the long arm also bears upwardly onthe bottom of that rail base flange engaged by the short arm. Another aspect of the invention is that the gripping member constitutes, irrespective of its U or channel shape, a ring encircling the loop of the retaining member.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example and for purposes of explanation, various embodiments of the invention, but to which embodiments and the details thereof the invention is not confined as other embodiments and modifications of detail are possible and contemplated; I

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an anchor in position on a rail illustrating one embodiment of the invention, the gripping member of said anchor being in vertical section.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, illustrating another embodiment of the invention and certain modifications of detail.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the gripping member of Figures 1 and 2 in the position occupied on a rail.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a fragment of a retaining member illustrating a modification of detail of the retaining member shown in Figure 1.

Figs. 5 and 6 are views similar to Figures 1 and 2 illustrating further embodiments of the invention and further modifications of detail.

Referring more particularly to thedrawings, I i designates a rail having base flanges I2 and I3.

The anchor forming the subject of thisinvention comprises a gripping member l4 and a retaining member l5.

The gripping member is a. U-shaped or channel shaped structure comprising aqpair of "spaced arms I6 and a connecting web [1. The arms l6 are each notched in one edge, as at [8, to receive one rail base flange, the notches being preferably, but not necessarily, disposed so as to position the arms on a rail base flange at an edgewise inclination upwardly away from the rail, as illustrated. The web I? of the member extends between the notched edges of the arms and is formed with an aperture l9 extending, in terms of the service position of the anchor as illustrated. above and below the notches l8, said aperture being formed to permit passage of the rail base flange into the notches. The aperture may extend from arm to arm, as shown, or any suitable lesser distance. Preferably, the aperture is arranged asymmetrically of the notches, so as to leave less distance between the upper surface of the rail base and the adjacent end of the aperture than between the lower surface of the rail base and the adjacent end of the aperture. The aperture, in effect, divides the web into two portions 20 and 2! adapted to lie respectively above and below the rail base flange and these portions may, ifsdesired, be considered as separate spaced webs connecting the notched edges of the arms adjacent the ends thereof.

Comparing the form of gripping member herein with the corresponding member of the aforesaid patent, it will be observed that, in terms of service position, the web connects the lower ends of the arms in the patent, leaving the notched edges free whereas in the present invention the web connects the notched edges of the arms above and below the rail leaving the lower ends free. The retaining member is formed of a flat bar of spring metalof a width to pass easily through the aperture [8 and between the arms It. The bar is bent upon itself toward one end at any suitable radius as at 22 to form a short arm 23 and a long arm 24, said arms and the bend 22 defining, a large open loop. The extremities of the short and long arms are bent substantially at right angles to form hooks 25 and 26 respectively. The hook 25 of the short arm projects away from the long arm and the hook 26 of the long arm projects toward the plane of the short arm. The loop 22 and the arms 23 and 24 may take various forms, as will be seen from comparison of Figures 1, 2, 5, and 6. The long arm includes a portion 21, locatedapproximately opposite the end of the short arm, which converges from the bend 22 toward the line of the short arm.

The retaining member is preferably so formed that in the relaxed condition of the member, the distance from the outside of the short arm adjacent the hook 25 to the outside of the long arm portion 21, measured approximately at right angles to the said portion 21, is somewhat great-er than the depth of the gripping member aperture 19 and somewhat less than the distance from outside to outside of the arms measured nearer to the bend 22. The first of the aforesaid distances is shown in Figure 1, which illustrates the relaxed condition of the retaining member in broken lines for the short arm and dotted lines for the long arm. The-outside diameter of the bend 22' is preferably not greater than the depth of the aperture l9. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, it is slightly less, while in Figure 5 it is more. The effect of these relative dimensions is to produce in-the structures shown in Figures 1 and 2 arm portions 28 which diverge away fromthe bend...22 to a point of maximum loop depth marked in the: long armby the meeting ',of :.the

divergent portion 28 and the convergent portion 21 and designated 28. The purpose of the limited size of bend 22 and of the divergent arm portions 28 is to facilitate assembly of the anchor parts.

The short arm 23 may take a variety of forms. It may be straight between the bend 22 and the hook 25, as shown in Figure 2, or it may be bent at an intermediate point 30 in its length to provide a portion3 l whichmayconverge toward the long arm as shown in Figure 1, or it may be continuously curved as shown at 3| in Figure 5.

The portion 21 of the long arm is formed to provide on its outer surface two seating surfaces 32 and 33 at different points in the length of the arm and adapted to rest at different times upon the inner or upper edge of the Web portion 2|. A projection 34 is preferably provided between the seating surfaces32. and 33 and may be formed by offsetting the arm through the whole of its width as in Figure 6 or through only a portion of its width, as in Figures 1, 2, 4, ,and5. ,The seating surfaces 32 and 33 may be substantially in line with each other, as shown in Figure 2, or

may occupy distinctly different planes as shown in Figures 1, 4, 5, and 6, as a result of offsetting the arm between them through the whole of its width as in Figures l, 2, 5, and 6, or through only a portion of its width as in Figure 4. The seating surface 32, which is nearest the hook 26, may be a' continuation of the projection 34 as in Figures 4 and 6, or may be quite distinct from the projection as in Figures 1, 2, and 5. Also, the seating surface 32' may be flush with the projection 34 as in Figures 1 and 6, or the projection may extend outwardly of the seating surface 32, as in Figures 2, 4, and 5.

In Figure 5, the bend 22 is shown to be of a diameter so much larger than in Figures 1 and 2 that the divergent arm portions 23 and 24 are absorbed in the bend. The short arm portion 3| adjacent the hook 25 is curved oppositely to the bend 22 and the long arm portion 21 adjacent ghedbend may also be curved oppositely to the Figure 6 shows the long arm 24 provided with a hump 35 extending toward the short arm. This hump may be formed integral with the arm by reversely bending the material thereof, as shown, or-may be provided" in any other suitable way. The top of the hump 35 is preferably located somewhat nearer the bend 22 than the hook 25 isbut may be otherwise located.

From the foregoing, it will be seen a. great many modifications of detail are possible, the invention not being confined to those illustrated. It will also be understood that the combination of details is not confined to the particular combinations shown, but the details illustratedor equivalents thereof may be otherwise combined. It will be understood further that many degrees ofv modification are possible, for example, between the forms of Figures land 2 or between the forms of these figures and Figure 5.

The two pa'rts of anchors as shown in Figures 1 and 2 are assembled in the factory by passing the retaining member, loop end first, through the aperture of the gripping member. This assembly maybe accomplished by pressing the two arms of the I retaining member toward one another until the loop will pass freely through the aper ture or the assembly may; be accomplished by forcing the loop, through the aperture in which case the divergent arm portions engage opposite ends of the aperture an'diare pressed toward one anothenby reason ofcamming-i or wedgingaction due to their divergent relation. in either case the retaining member is advanced until the hook 25 engages the web portion 20 and arrests movement of the short arm and causes the retaining 1 member to swing around this pointof engagement during further advance, so that only the long arm slides over the lower web portion and finally locates the seating surface 32 in contact with the upper end of the web portion 2!. The retaining member in this factory assembled relation to the gripping member is illustrated in broken lines in Figures 1 and 2. It will be observed by comparing the factory assembled form of the retaining member with the relaxed form of the member indicated for the long arm in dotted lines, Figure 1, that the loop has been compressed in the assembly. The expansive action of the loop holds the arms tightly against the ends of the aperture. The upper web portion 2!! is securely engaged in the angle or recess between the arm 23 and the hook 25, while the lower web portion 2! is securely engaged with the seating portion 32 in the angle or recess between the protruding arm portion and the projection 34. To move the retaining member out of the relation to the gripping member thus established will cause further compression of the loop and the resistance of the loop to such further compression is sufilcient to hold the members in their factory assembled relation against any of the forces ordinarily encountered in the handling, transportation and distribution of the anchors. Owing to the angular relation of the seating surface 32 with the surfaces immediately on each side of it, the parts will return to the factory assembled relation after any slight disturbance of the relation. In the factory assembled relation, the parts are in proper relation for the preliminary steps of assembly to a rail.

The method of factory assembly of an anchor as shown in Figure 5 is somewhat different from that just described. The retaining member is passed through the gripping member aperture with the hook 28 leading and the loop is compressed by external means sufliciently' to enable the hook 25 to be passed through the aperture Hi.

In assembling the anchor to a rail, the hook 26 is passed beneath the rail and the gripping member notches caused to receive one rail base flange. The gripping member may be now driven into tight engagement with the rail base flange by striking on the corners farthest laterally from the rail or this setting of the gripping member may be deferred until the retaining member has been finally positioned. It will be noted from the broken line illustration of the factory assembled relation of the parts that the retaining member will not interfere with the positioning of the gripping member. When the gripping member is in applied position on one rail base flange, the hook 25 of the retaining member may be still out of contact with the bottom of the other rail base or only lightly in contact therewith, the exact condition depending upon the angular relation of the protruding arm portion to the remainder of the member.

The assembly is completed by driving the retaining member transversely of the rail until the hook 26 snaps up into position against the vertical edge surface of the flange l3 and the member assumes the position shown in full lines, Figures 1 and 2. The driving is preferably accomplished by striking with a hammer in an approximately horizontal direction on the outside of the bend 22, The driving imparts to the re-- taining member a combined swinging and slid-3 ing movement relatively to the rail. As the re-- taining member advances transversely of the rail,-

the rounded end of the short arm formed by bending the hook 25 advances up the inclined upper surface of the base flange 12 and causes the short arm to act as a lever fulcrumed on the lower edge of the upper web portion 20, thereby swinging the bend 22 downwardly and tending to swing the hooked end of the long arm upward- 1y. This swinging effect will be increased if the short arm 23 is inclined, as in. the portion 3|, Figure 1, so as to have a camming orwedging action of its own in passing under the webportion 20. As the length of the short arm 23 between its points of contact with theweb and with the rail. base is very much less than the distance between the hooks 25 and 26, a small angular movement of the short arm will tend to cause considerable upward movement of the hook 26. This upward movement is prevented by the rail base .and as the loop is forced downwards by the lever action of the short arm, it follows that the long arm is tensioned and flexedbeoause of its rigid support on the lower web portion 2|. The long arm becomes, in eifect, a lever fulcrumed on the lower web portion 2|. The tensioning and flexing of the long arm are increased by the, movement of its portion 21 over the web portion 2!, the portion 21 being inclined to the direction of movement and thereby exerting a camming or wedging action which increases the upward thrust imparted tothe hook 26. Theflexing of the long arm and upthrusting of the hook I 26 increase until the projection 34 passes over the lower web portion 21, bringing the seating surface 33 into final seating engagement withthe web portion 2|. .When this occurs,.the hook lieve the tension in the long arm of the retaining member, but it will be understood that, owing to the swinging movement of the entire retaining member about the web portion 28 and owing to the advance of the inclined arm portion 2'! over the web portion 2!, there is considerable residual flexion and tension in the long arm operating to hold it tightly against the base flange l3a'nd to hold the hook 26 up in flange edge engaging position. The projection 34 operates to hold thev long arm against any retreating tendency if the hook 226 should be accidentally depressed below the base flange i3. If the gripping member has not been already driven tightly onto the flange i 2, this is now done. If the gripping member has been previously driven tight, it is advisable to give it one or two blows to remedy any possible loosening incident to driving the retaining member, but more particularly to cause the retaining member to recoil sufficiently to draw the hook 26 tightly against the vertical edge of the flange I3.

Realization of the effects last described depends primarily upon engagement of the member M with the bottom of the rail base and with the top of the short arm of the retaining member; and depends to lesser extent upon the support of the long arm by the lower web portion 2 i. In

other words, the swinging movement of the rebase flange l2. 7 The support afforded bytheqs lower web portion 2l and the camming action of the long arm portion'Z'I on the web portion 2| serve merely to augment or multiply the effect produced by the short arm. If the inclination portion of long arm tension and flexion would depend on a camming action of the long arm portion 21. Alternatively, if the spacing of the web portion 20 above the rail is such that the short arm'does not engage: the upper surface of the base, there will not be any swinging movement of the retaining member nor any wedging effect of the base flange and the tensioning and flexion of the retaining member will depend entirely upon the camming action of the lower arm portion 21 on the lower web portion 2|, the retaining member being, in effect, merely a lever fulcrumed on the web portion 2| and bearing at one end against the bottom of the flange l3 and at the other end against the upper web portion 20. The driving of the retaining member through the gripping member to fully assembled position on a rail serves to further compress the loop.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the advance of the short arm up the inclined top of the base flange 12 combined with the opposite inclination of the arm portion 3| moving under the web portion 20 creates a very considerable resistance to the longitudinal movement of the retaining member. In'the embodiment of Figure 2, the entire short arm isinclined in the same direction as the top of the base flange l2, so that the resistance to driving is materially less. The effective inclination of the arm in any part of its movement is the inclination of the part thereof in engagement with the upper web portion 20 relative to the upper surface of the base flange l 2. The exact degree of effective inclination of the short arm may be made as desired and may be more than shown in Figure l, or less than shown in Figure 2, or anything between the two.

In the forms shown in:Figures l and 2, the effective inclination of the short arm 23 decreases as the retaining member is driven to final position, owing to the downward swinging movement of the loop. In the form shown in Figure 5, the effective inclination may decrease or remain constant or even increase during the driving, depending upon the degree of curvature of the arm portion 3|. 7

The inclination of the lower arm part 21 between the seating surface 33 and the hump 29, relative to the direction of movement, serves to resist over driving of the retaining member. The

inclination of this part may be uniform as shown in Figures 1 and 2 or may be gradually increasing as shown in Figure 5, so as to strongly resist over driving, or may be of a decreasing order.

The application of the anchor to a rail is comparatively easy and only a-small amount of movement is required. The retaining member does not tend to recoil if not fully driven in one blow and, when once in position on. a rail, is practically impossible to displace accidentally. In removing 'the anchor, the hook 26 is struck down and caused to catch on the lower edge of the base flange l3 and the gripping member is then struck off the flange I2, the two parts coming away asfla unit.

In driving the retaining member through the gripping member to assembledipositionpn a rail;

the loop is compressedas aforesaid and the short arm caused to press down on the top of one rail base flange, while the long arm is caused to'press up against the bottom of the other rail base flange, the gripping member meanwhile holding the retaining member against movement which would relieve these pressures. The retaining member thus obtains a tight grip on the rail both vertically and transversely. As already stated, driving the retaining member through the gripping member serves to compress the retaining member loop. At the same time, driving the retai'ning'member onto the rail tends to open the loop by reason of wedging engagement of the base flange in the loop. These two opposed actions are capable of simultaneous occurrenceby reason of the gripping member encircling the:

loop between its ends, so that the loop may be compressed where it contacts the gripping member and at the. same time expanded in that its extremities are forced apart by movement relative to the rail. The result is the arms of the retaining member are fulcrumed independently onthe portions 20 and 2| of the gripping member web and tend to swing in opposite directions and to reduce the diameter of the bend 22.

In some respects, the forms of short arm shown in Figures 1 and 5 are preferable. The effective inclination of the parts 3! or Si is considerable and applies a more pronounced swinging force to the retaining member than does the less inclined short arm of Figure 2. Also, the inclination of the parts 3| or 3I provides above the rail base a more effective gripping member holding means than does the less inclined corresponding arm of V Figure 2. In fact, the'gripping member holding effect is substantially the same above and below the railin the anchor of Figures 1 or 5, whereas in the anchor of Figure 2 the holding effect above the rail is less than the holding efiect below the rail. The holding effect above and below the rail base is valuable in that it holds the gripping member at the top against swinging away from the rail and against any tendency to oscillate about the base flange.

That embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 6 exhibits structural features and functional characteristics additional to those already described. The hump 35 is so forme'd'that it will engage the lower surface of the same base flange that the short arm engages. At the outset of applying the anchor, this engagement does not exist or if it does exist the pressure of the engagement is so triflng as not to interfere with the manual location of the gripping member on the base flange. When driving of the retaining member commences, the swinging movement forces the hump 35 laterally and upwardly against the bottom of the base flange. The hump 35 preferably engages the base flange nearer its edge than the upper arm does, so that the hump establishes a fulcrum point about which the retaining member will swing, independently of the gripping member, with upward thrusting of the book 26 and ultimate engagement of the armadjacent the hook with the lower surface of the" base flange I3. As the retaining member advances the base flange is grippingly wedged between the upper arm and the hump, independently of any positioning function of the gripping member. Thus the retaining member alone will function similarly to the combination of retain.- ing member and gripping member of the other embodiments. The gripping memberffunctions to supplement or multiply the effects produced,

by the retaining member, to the end that the relatively light and. yielding retaining member exerts a serviceably tight grip on the rail base. The functioning of the gripping member in the embodiment of Figure 6 is similar to its functioning in the embodiments of Figures 1, 2, and 5.

In anchors formed as in Figures 1, 2, and 5, there are found pairs of jaws engaging the upper and lower surfaces of the same base flange, said jaws being the upper arm of the retaining member and the lower portion of the gripping member. In anchors formed as in Figure 6 the two jaws are the upper and lower arms of the retaining member.

Apart from the hump 35, the lower arm may be formed in any of the ways already described and may co-operate with the gripping member as already described.

From the foregoing, it will be seen the novel forms of retaining members herein disclosed present, among others, four important differences over the retaining member of the aforesaid patent, viz; first, the retaining member grips the rail both transversely and vertically; second, the retaining member loop is compressed in the gripping member independently of assembly to a rail; third, the retaining member loop tends to be expanded by movement relatively to the rail; and fourth, the retaining member holds the gripping member both above and below the rail base flange.

The gripping member herein is an improvement over the gripping member of the patent, in that it is stronger owing to the arms being connected both above and below the rail base and is less liable to damage in service from pounding in ballast, owing to the fact that-it presents to the ballast only the edges of the arms which will readily penetrate the ballast. While it is preferable to dispose the gripping member at the inclination illustrated, so as to keep the lowest and substantially all ballast engaging points thereof directly beneath the rail base, it will be understood the invention is not confined to an inclined disposition of the gripping member.

It will be observed the member I4 is in effect a ring member encircling the retaining member 15 and holding the arms thereof against separation so that when the retaining member is moved transversely of a rail, the wedging effect of the divergent upper and lower rail base surfaces tending to spread the arms of the retaining member is resisted by the encircling member It, thus causing flexure and severe tensioning of the retaining member with consequent gripping engagement with the rail base. This effect is independent of the ring formation of the member M and independent of tensioning resulting from relative movement of the members, in that either may be produced separately. It is obvious that if the top of the loop (in the forms of Figures 1, 2 and 5) is held, at a point outwardly of the engagement with the top of the rail base, against upward movement, the tensioning ef-'- fect of forcing the retaining member transversely of the rail base will persist even though there is no ring member. For example, in the form of Figure 6, the hump 35 affords in effect the necessary holding against upward movement. Likewise, if the two members are relatively moved, either on or off the rail, tensioning of the retaining member results. When the two conditions are concurrent, the two tensions are not merely additive but react upon one another with multiplying effect, whereby a very tight gripping engagement of the retaining member and. rail results. In the forms of Figures 1, 2, and 5, the tensioning and flexing of the member [5 by wedging engagement with the rail is dependent on the engagement of the member M with the rail only to the extent that the member l4 so positions and supports the member l5 that the wedging action results, while in. the form of Figure 6 the tensioning and flexing of the member I5 is primarily independent of the member M, which serves merely to augment the effects inherent to the retaining member.

It has already been shown in connection with the embodiments of the invention illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 5 that so far as retention of the retaining member in operative relation to the rail is concerned, the function of the gripping member is solely one of holding down the upper arm of the retaining member in such manner that the retaining member and rail base co-operate with wedging effect to tension the retaining member. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 6, the aforesaid holding down effect is obtained by the hump 35 quite independently of the gripping member, so that the latter does not necessarily contribute to the fact of retention of the retaining member on the rail base. It therefore follows that all of the gripping member arms below the rail (excepting such as is necessary to constitute jaws engaging the lower surface of the rail base) are idle in theretention of the retaining member on the rail. Their function and the function of the lower web 2| is to increase the grip of the retaining member and render the anchor capable of resisting great creeping tendency in the rail. Without this function of thelower arm portions and lower web 2|, the anchor would be quite operative, but to a lesser degree, in resisting rail creeping. The same applies to the embodiment of Figure 6. In the absence of the lower arm portions shrouding the loop of the retaining member the resistance to rail creeping would result from engagement of the retaining member with a tie. As the retaining members shown present only a small surface area for tie engagement and, as the retaining members do not depend any great distance below the tie, it is obvious the tie would suffer by reason of the retaining member cutting into it and that the rail holding effect would be partly lost. It will be seen from the foregoing that the arms (6, which will be interposed between the retaining member and tie and which depend below the retaining member, materially increase the tie engaging surface of the anchor and also increase depth of such engagement. This invention therefore presents the added feature of means, not contributing to the retention of the anchor on a rail, associated with an anchor for the purpose of afiording an extended tie engaging surface.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A rail anchor comprising a member formed to engage the bottom surface of one base flange of a rail and the relatively inclined top surface only of the other base flange of the rail and adapted to be moved transversely of the rail, and a second member adapted to engage the lower surface of said other rail base flange and thereby to be positioned on said other rail base flange and to engage the upper surface of said first member at a point above the rail base and outwardly of the engagement of the first member with thetop of the rail base flange and to hold said first member against upward movement at said outwardly the rail whereby said first member will be tensioned by wedging co-operation with the rail base and will grippingly engage the top and'bottom surfaces of the rail base, and means to hold the first member against movement in a reverse direction to that causing tension of said first member.

2. A rail anchor comprising a member formed to engage the bottom surface of one base flange of a rail and the relatively inclined top surface only of the other base flange of the rail and adapted to be moved transversely of the rail and a second member formed with jaws to grippingly engage that flange of the rail base engaged on its upper surface by the first member and thereby to be positioned thereon and formed to engage the upper surface of the first member at a point above the rail base and outwardly of the engagement of the first member with the top of the rail base flange and to hold said first member against upward movement at said outwardly located point during movement transversely of therail, whereby said first member will be tensiened by wedging co-operation with the rail base and will grippingly engage the top and bottom surfaces of the rail base, and means carried by the first member adapted to engage the rail base opposite said second member to hold the first member against movement such as would reduce its grip on the upper and lower surfaces of the rail base.

3. A rail anchor comprising a member formed to engage the bottom surface of one base flange of a rail and the relatively inclined top surface only of the other base flange of the railand adapted to be moved transversely of the rail and a second member adapted to engage the lower surface of that flange of the rail base engaged on its upper surface by said first member, said sec-- ond member engaging the upper surface of said first member at a point located above the rail base and outwardly of its engagement with the upper surface of the rail base and holding said first member against upward movement relatively to the rail at the point of engagement of the members, whereby the first member is rocked about its point of engagement with the second member and is thrust upwardly against the bottom surface of one base flange upon movement transversely of the top surface of the other base flange, and a hook on the upthrusting end of said first member adapted to engage the adjacent vertical edge surface of the rail base and hold the first member against retrograde movement; relatively to the engaged upper surface of the base flange.

4. A rail anchor comprising a rail gripping member notched to grippingly embrace one flange of a rail base and formed with upper and lower seat portions to be spaced respectively above and below the engaged base flange with the lower seating portion nearer the central longitudinal vertical plane of the rail than the upper seat portion, and a retaining member adapted to extend beneath a rail transversely thereof, formed at one end with a shoulder adapted to engage the edge of the rail base opposite said gripping member and formed at the other end with a loop lying between and engaging said upper and lower seat portions and adapted to engage the inclined upper surface of the base flange engaged by said gripping member at a point between vertical planes extending longitudinally of the rail and containing said seat portions.

5. A rail anchor comprising a rail gripping located point during movement transversely of member notched to grippingly embrace one flange of a rail base and formed with upper and lower seat portions to be spaced respectively above and below the engaged base flange with the lower seating portion nearer the central longitudinal vertical plane of the rail than the upper seat portion, and a retaining member adapted to extend beneath a railv transversely thereof, formed at one end with a shoulder adapted to engage the edge of the rail base opposite said gripping member and formed at the other end with a loop lying between and engaging said upper and lower seat portions and adapted to engage the inclined upper surface of the base flange engaged by said gripping member at a point between vertical planes extending longitudinally of the rail and containing said seat portions, the portion of said loop engaging the upper seat portion and the upper flange surface being inclined relatively to the upper flange surface and the portion of said loop engaging the lower seat surface being inclined relatively to the direction of retaining member movement, whereby upon movement of the retaining member loop relatively to said seat portions and transversely of the rail the retaining member will be swung about its point of engagement with the upper seat portion by the combined effects of the inclined rail base surface and theinclined loop portions engaging the upper and lower seat portions, with upward thrusting effect upon the shouldered end causing the shoulder to rise into and be held in rail flange edge engaging position.

6. A rail anchor comprising a member formed to engage the relatively inclined top and bottom surfaces of one flange of a rail base and the bottom surface of the other base flange at laterally spaced points and to be elsewhere spaced from said surfaces and adapted to be moved transversely of the rail thereby to wedgingly engage said first mentioned rail base flange in said member, the points of engagement of said member with the first named base flange being so spaced transversely of the rail as to cause upward pressure of the member against the second named flange upon transverse wedging movement of the member, and means provided with seat portions respectively positioned above and below the rail base to resist flexion of said member by reason of its wedging engagement with the rail base, whereby the member will be caused to grippingly engage the upper and lower surfaces of the rail base and means to hold said member against retreat from its rail gripping position.

7. A rail anchor comprising a member formed to engage the relatively inclined top and bottom surfaces of one flange of a rail base and the bottom surface of the other base flange at laterally spaced points and to be elsewhere spaced from said surfaces and adapted to be moved transversely of the rail thereby to wedgingly engage said first mentioned rail base flange in said member, the point of engagement of said member with the upper surface of the flange being spaced farther from the edge of said flange than the point of engagement of said member with the lower surface of the same flange, and means positioned above and below the rail base at different distances from the adjacent edge, of the rail base to resist flexion of said member by reason of its wedging engagement with the rail base, whereby the member will be caused to grip- 8; A rail anchor comprising a member formed to engage laterally restricted areas of the relatively inclined top and bottom surfaces of one flange of a rail base and the bottom surface of the other base flange and to be elsewhere spaced from said surfaces and adapted to be moved transversely of the rail thereby to wedgingly engage said first mentioned rail base flange in said member, the point of engagement of said member with the upper surface of the flange being spaced farther from the edge of said flange than the point of engagement of said member with the lower surface of the same flange, and rigid means engaging said member above and below the rail base at points spaced transversely of the rail relatively to the points of engagement of said member and the base flange, and supporting the member to resist flexion by reason of its wedging engagement with the rail base whereby the member will be caused to grippingly engage the upper and lower surfaces of the rail base and means on said member to engage the vertical edge surface of said second rail base flange with member retaining effect.

9. A rail anchor comprising a member formed to engage laterally restricted areas of the relatively inclined top and bottom surfaces of one flange of a rail base and the bottom surface of the other base flange and to be elsewhere spaced from said surfaces and adapted to be moved transversely of the rail thereby to wedgingly engage said first mentioned rail base flange in said member, and means, adapted to grippingly engage the upper and lower surfaces of said first named base flange, encircling that portion of said member embracing the first named base flange and supporting the member to resist flexion by reason of its wedging engagement with the rail base, whereby the member will be caused to grippingly engage the upper and lower surfaces of the rail base and means on said member to engage the vertical edge surface of said second rail base flange with member retaining effect.

10. A rail anchor comprising a member formed to engage laterally rectricted areas of the relatively inclined top and bottom surfaces of one flange of a rail base and the bottom surface of the other base flange and to be elsewhere spaced from said surfaces and adapted to be moved transversely of the rail thereby to wedgingly engage said first mentioned rail base flange in said member, the point of engagement of said memher with the upper surface of the flange being spaced farther from the edge of said flange than the point of engagement of said member with the lower surface of the same flange, and means, adapted to grippingly engage the upper and lower surfaces of said first named base flange, encircling that portion of said member embracing the first named base flange and engaging the member from above and beneath it to support the same to resist flexion by reason of its wed ing engagement with the rail base, whereby the member will be caused to grippingly engage the upper and lower surfaces of the rail base and means on said member engageable with said other base flange to hold the member in its rail gripping position.

11. A rail anchor comprising a member formed to engage the relatively inclined top and bottom surfaces of one flange of a rail base and the bottom surface of the other base flange and adapted to be moved transversely of the rail thereby to wedgingly engage said first mentioned rail base flange in said member, the point of engagement of said member with the upper sur face of the flange being spaced farther from the edge of said flange than the point of engagement of said member with the lower surface of the same flange, and means, adapted to grippingly engage the upper and lower surfacesof said first named base flange, encircling that portion of said member embracing the first named base flange, said means engaging said member above and below the rail base at points spaced transversely of the rail relatively to the points of engagement of said member and the base flange, and supporting themember to resist flexion by reason of its wedging engagement with the rail base, whereby the member will be caused to grippingly engage the upper and lower surfaces of the rail base, said member being formed to further engage said other base flange in suchwise as to hold the member against retreat from its rail gripping position.

12. A rail anchor comprising a rail: gripping member including upper and lower seat portions and a retaining member including upper and lower arms defining a spring loop, said arms'being formed to provide recesses in their outer surfaces for reception of the seat portions, the recesses being so located that when engaged by the seat portions the members will be relatively positioned in readiness for assembly to a rail, said loop being disposed in compression between said seat portions and operating by its expansive action to hold the seat portions in the recesses against the forces ordinarily encountered in handling whereby the parts may be factory assembled to constitute in effect a unitary structure.

13. A rail anchor comprising a rail gripping member including upper and lower seat portions and a retaining member including upper and lower arms defining a spring loop, said arms presenting defined seat surfaces for engagement with said seat portions, the seat surfaces being so located that when engaged by the seat portions the members will be relatively positioned in readiness for assembly to a rail, said loop being disposed in compression between said seat portions and operating by its expansive action to hold the seat portions and seat surfaces in engagement, the arms being formed to provide portions adjacent said seat surfaces so disposed relatively to the seat surfaces as to hold the retaining member against movement relatively to the gripping member such as would disengage said seat surfaces and seat portions.

14. A'rail anchor comprising a rail gripping member including upper and lower seat portions and a retaining member including upper and lower arms defining a spring loop, said upper arm presenting a seat surface for engagement with the upper seat portion and said lower arm presenting a pair of seat surfaces for engagement selectively with said lower seat portion, the relation of one of said lower arm seat surfaces to the upper arm seat surface being such that when the two surfaces are engaged with the seat portions the members will be in relative positions of readiness for application'to a rail and the relation of the other lower arm seat surface to the upper arm seat surface being such that when the two surfaces are'engaged with the seat portions the members will be in relative positions of operative assembly on a rail.

15. A rail anchor comprising a rail gripping member including upper and lower seat portions and a retaining member including upper and lower arms defining a spring loop, said upper arm presenting a seat surface for engagement with the upper seat portion and said lower arm presenting a pair of seat surfaces for engagement selectively with said lower seat portion, the relation of one of said lower arm seat surfaces to the upper arm seat surface being such that when the two surfaces are engaged with the seat portions the members will be in relative positions of readiness for application to a rail and the relation of the other lower arm seat surface to the upper arm seat surface being such that when the two surfaces are engaged with the seat portions the members will be in relative positions of operative assembly on a rail, said loop being in compression between the seat portions and operating by its expansive action to hold the seat surfaces and seat portions in engagement thereby to maintain the members in the relative positions to which they are adjusted.

16. A rail anchor comprising a rail gripping member including upper and lower seat portions and a retaining member including upper and lower arms defining a spring loop, said upper arm presenting a seat surface for engagement with the upper seat portion and said lower arm presenting a pair of seat surfaces for engagement selectively with said lower seat portion, the relation of one of said lower arm seat surfaces to' the upper arm seat surface being such that when the two surfaces are engaged with the seat portions the members will be in relative positions of readiness for application to a rail and the relation of the other lower arm seat surface to the upper arm seat surface being such that when the two surfaces are engaged with the seat portions the members will be in relative positions of operative assembly on a rail, said loop being in compression between the seat portions and operating by its expansive action to hold the seat surfaces and seat portions in engagement thereby to maintain the members in the relative positions to which they are adjusted, said arms being formed to provide portions adjacent said seat surfaces so disposed relatively to the seat surfaces as to hold the retaining member against movement relatively to the gripping member such as would disengage said seat surfaces and seat portions.

17. A rail anchor comprising a member adapted to grippingly embrace one flange of a rail base and including upper and lower seat portions adapted to be spaced above and below the embraced base flange, respectively, and a retaining member including upper and lower arms defining a spring loop adapted to receive the embraced base flange, said loop being in compression between said seat portions, the upper and lower arms being adapted to bear adjacent their extremities on the upper and lower surfaces, respectively, of the rail base, said arms being formed with seat surfaces so disposed that when engaged with the seat portions the members will be relatively positioned in readiness for application 'to a rail, said arms being further formed to provide portions adjacent said seat surfaces so disposed relatively to the seat surfaces as to hold the retaining member against movement relatively to the gripping member such as would disengage said seat surfaces and seat portions.

18. A rail anchor comprising a member adapted to grippingly embrace one flange of a rail base and including upper and lower seat portions adapted to be spaced above and below the embraced base flange, respectively, anda retaining member including upper and lower arms.defining a spring loop adapted to receive the em; braced base flange, said loop being in compression between said seat portions, the upper and lower arms being adapted to bear adjacent their extremities on the upper and lower surfaces, respectively, of the rail base, said lower arm being formed with a seat surface adapted for engagement with said lower seat portion and being formed on either side of said seat surface with portions which upon transit over the lower seat portion will cause increased compression of said loop whereby the members when operatively en.- gaged will be releasably locked in predetermined relation. 1

19. A rail anchor comprising a spring retaining member including upper and lower arms defining an open loop adapted to receive one flange of a rail base and adapted to respectivelyengage the upper surface of one rail base flange and the lower surface and edge of the other rail base flange and to be elsewhere spaced from the rail base, in combination with means holding the loop of said retaining member in compression both while off and while on a rail, the lower arm of the retaining member having spaced recesses formed on its lower surface, said means'being formed for rigid interlocking engagement with said member disposed in one of said recesses to position the member and the means in relative positions of readiness for application to a rail, said member and means being forcibly movable from said relative positions to relative positions of operative engagement with ,a rail with said member disposed in the other of said recesses.

20. A rail anchor comprising a spring retaining member including upper and lower arms defining an open loop adapted to receive one flange of a rail base and adapted to respectively engage the upper surface of one rail base flange and the lower surface and edge of the other rail base flange and to be elsewhere spaced from the rail base, in combination with a gripping member adapted to hold the loop of said retaining member in compression both while off and while on a rail and to grippingly embrace the rail base flange received in said loop, the lower arm of the retaining member having spaced recesses formed on its lower surface, the members being formed for rigid interlocking-engagement with the gripping member disposed in one of said recesses with the parts in relative positions of readiness for application to a rail when separate from a rail, said retaining member being forcibly movable from said relative position to a relative position of operative engagement with a rail with said gripping member disposed in the other of said recesses.

21. A rail anchor comprising a member formed to grippingly embrace one flange of a rail base and including upper and lower seat portions adapted to be disposed above and below the engaged rail base flange with the lower seat portion farther in from the edge of the flange-than the upper seat portion, in combination with a retaining member including upper and lower arms forming a loop disposed in compression be tween said seat portions, said upper arm being adapted to extend between the upper seat portion and the upper surface of the aforesaid rail base flange and to engage the upper flange surface at a location spaced farther in from the flange edge than the upper seat portion, said lower arm being adapted to extend between the bottom of the rail base and the lower seat portion and to engage the bottom and edge of the other rail base flange, said lower arm including a portion located, in the transverse direction of the rail, between the lower seat portion and the first named flange edge and depending below the engaged surface of the seat portion thereby to hold the gripping member against movement away from the rail, said retaining member being movable relatively to the gripping member and transversely of the rail with wedging eiTect in the gripping member and on the rail, whereby the retaining member is tensioned and flexed and caused to grippingly engage the top of the first named base flange and the bottom of the other base flange with upthrusting effect to maintain engagement with the edge of the flange.

22. A rail anchor comprising a member formed to grippingly embrace one flange of a rail base and including upper and lower seat portions adapted to be disposed above and below the engaged rail base flange with the lower seat portion farther in from the edge of the flange than the upper seat portion, in combination with a retaining member including upper and lower arms forming a loop disposed in compression between said seat portions, said upper arm being adapted to extend between the upper seat portion and the upper surface of the aforesaid rail base flange and to engage the upper flange surface at a location spaced farther in from the flange edge than the upper seat portion, said lower arm being adapted to extend between the bottom of the rail base and the lower seat portion and to engage the bottom of said rail base flange and the bottom and edge of the other rail base flange, said lower arm including a portion located, in the transverse direction of the rail, between the lower seat portion and the first named flange edge and depending below the engaged surface of the seat portion thereby to hold the gripping member against movement away from the rail, said retaining member being movable relatively to the gripping member and transversely of the rail with wedging eflfect in the gripping member and on the rail, whereby the retaining member is tensioned and flexed and caused to grippingly engage the top and bottom of the first named base flange and the bottom of the other base flange with upthrusting effect to maintain engagement with the edge of the flange.

23. A rail anchor comprising a bar of spring metal bent upon itself toward one end to form an open loop adapted to receive one flange of a rail base and bent toward the other end to form a hook adapted to engage the other flange of the rail base, said bar being formed to provide points of engagement with the upper and lower surfaces of the first mentioned flange and to be elsewhere spaced from said flange, said points being so related to one another as to cause the bar to be tensioned upon movement transversely of the rail with upthrusting efiect at the hooked end of the bar, and a separately formed member embracing the looped end of the bar and adapted to engage a rail base and to position the bar relatively to the rail base.

24. A rail anchor comprising a rail gripping member and a separately formed associated bar adapted to engage the upper and lower diverging surfaces of a rail base at points spaced in the width of the rail base and to be elsewhere spaced from said surfaces and tensioned by movement relatively to the rail base and rail gripping member. I i I 25. A rail anchor comprising abar of spring metal bent upon itself toward one end to form an open loop adapted to receive one flange of a rail base, said loop being formed to engage the upper and lower surfaces'of the received flange at points spaced in the width of the rail base and to be elsewhere spaced from said surfaces,

the point of engagement with the lower surface FRANCIS W. COOPER. 

